GOLF: Record prize-money of nearly $12 million will be up for grabs when the 2003 Asian PGA season tees off. A ground-breaking joint-sanctioned event with the Japan Tour - the $833,000 Okinawa Open - gets the season under way this week, a development being hailed as a major breakthrough for the Asian PGA.
A minimum of 20 events will be staged with the tour visiting 14 countries. Total overall prize money has risen from $10.7 million this season to $11.8 million, organisers said. The 2003 qualifying school will tee-off in mid-January with nine events scheduled to be played in the first half of 2003.
Among the early events is the $1.6 million Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth, tri-sanctioned between the Tours in Asia, Europe and Australasia.
Singapore's $900,000 Masters and the $1.1 million Malaysian Open will be joint-sanctioned with Europe.
Ramlan Haron, executive director of the Asian PGA, said more tournaments could still be added to the confirmed schedule.
"It's a season that promises so much. The prize-money is very lucrative, but more importantly we have a wonderful spread of events that traverse the region," Haron said. "We are extremely confident more tournaments will be added to the schedule.
"We are currently in final negotiations with the relevant associations to bring on board the Thailand Open and Korean Open plus the ROC PGA Championship, among others."
Meanwhile, Colin Montgomerie confirmed yesterday he will line up against world number one Tiger Woods and European Tour Player of the Year Ernie Els in the 14th Dubai Desert Classic from March 6th-9th.
"I think I've missed just one Desert Classic since the tournament began so that tells you how much I love playing in Dubai," he said. "It's been one of the European Tour's top events for a decade now and obviously I have fond memories of when I won in 1996."
After a difficult 2002 struggling with injury, Monty bounced back at the end of the year for a shared victory with Bernhard Langer at the Andalucia Masters in Spain, a win at the TCL Classic in China and a key role in Europe's Ryder Cup victory at The Belfry.
Currently world number 10, Montgomerie has dismissed rumours he could be on the verge of retirement.
Woods will miss the 2003 PGA Tour's season-opening Mercedes Championships in Hawaii after having surgery on his left knee last week.
Woods underwent a successful one-hour procedure to remove fluid inside and outside the anterior cruciate ligament but his manager Mark Steinberg has since ruled out any chance of the world number one playing in Maui from January 9th-12th.
It will be the first time that the 26-year-old Woods has missed a tournament through injury. "I had been playing in pain for most of the year and felt it was time to take care of it," Woods said after his surgery. "From what I've been told, the operation went well. I'm looking forward to a full recovery and a great start to 2003."
Dr Thomas Rosenberg, the surgeon who carried out last Thursday's procedure, said the world number one should be fully fit again by February.
SCHEDULE FOR 2003 ASIAN PGA TOUR: Dec 19th-22nd: Okinawa Open (2002), Japan (x); Jan 8th-11th: Malaysia stage one qualifying school; Jan 15th-18th: Malaysia stage two qualifying school; Jan 23rd-26th: Singapore Masters, Singapore (xx); Feb 13th-16th: Johnnie Walker Classic, Perth(xxx); Feb 20th-23rd: Malaysian Open, Malaysia (xx); Feb 27th-Mar 2nd: Myanmar Open, Myanmar; Mar 6th-9th: Philippine Open, Philippines; Mar 13th-16th: Dynasty Cup, China; Mar 27th-30th: Indian Open, India; April 24th-27th: Maekyung Open, South Korea; May 1st-4th: Korea Open, South Korea; May 8th-11th: Vietnam Open, Vietnam; Sept 4th-7th: China Open, China; Sept 11th-14th: Mercuries Masters, Taiwan; Sept 18th-21st: Taiwan Open, Taiwan; Oct 2nd-5th: Shinhan Donghae Open, South Korea; Oct 16th-19th: China TCL Classic, China; Oct 23rd-26th: Macau Open, Macau; Oct 30th-Nov 2nd: Hero Masters, India; Dec 4th-7th: Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong (xx) Dec 11th-14th: Volvo Masters of Asia, Thailand.
x - Joint-sanctioned with Japan Tour
xx - Joint-sanctioned with European Tour
xxx - Tri-sanctioned with European and Australasian Tours
